Merry Christmas

Dear Everyone,

Well Christmas is upon us and it is time to look back and reflect on our last year. We have had a very good year.

Owen has started the third grade in Chinese school. He can read, write, and perform math and science in Chinese. His conversation is terrific, and he can chat the day away. When he started the Chinese third grade, he got a new teacher. He loves this teacher, and she has lit a fire under him, by showing her class why education and a proper attitude can conquer anything!

Owen’s English is improving greatly since he has started the Calvert School program. I have been his teacher for the last four months, and in that time, he has grown in all of his abilities. For someone that started out slowly, he is gaining speed and starting to catch up.

Selina works hard everyday to stay beautiful and to keep us, boys, going. Running a house is not an easy job. The tons of laundry and dishes add up over the year. Selina is Owen’s expert, when he is doing homework. She is my expert on almost everything else. Owen is going to take on chores this next year, so wish him luck.

We went to Taipei once this year to see the city and some museums. Wow, what a trip. Taipei is convenient to get around, and beautiful, with many things to do. Owen joined a play zone where everyone got to try various careers by joining a group and doing the job. He was a magician, a TV spokesman, a radio theater actor, and a bakery chef. We’re definitely going back.

We also went to a resort in a town called KenTing, at the southern tip of the island. Very posh, nice restaurants, a small beach, lots of games and activities and a huge swimming pool. Selina just found a great package to go back for more. I can’t wait.

I have taken on a new assignment. Teaching second grade English to 4 eight-year-olds in our house. I move the furniture around to make room and move it back at night

Three of them are either from America or England; one is from Taiwan. It is fun, but it isn’t easy. The politics will drive a sane person batty. I am pleased with everyone’s performance. Everyone is learning to read faster with more accuracy. Their spelling has improved remarkably, but this is a very long campaign. The students have all learned their cursive very well and are practicing to smooth out the style. Their sentence writing is becoming more accurate, and longer, with better spelling. We have turned to long vowel phonics in the books, which will help them in reading and spelling.

Selina provides the meals, drinks, and snacks to keep the kids focused. It’s a tough job, but she does it well.

Each child uses Chinese-English grammar at times. I have been correcting their sentences and allowing the group to correct grammar when it happens. Reading a lot cures this

That’s about it! Selina, Owen, and I miss being in America. I wish we could go back there more often. Next year, at least Owen and I will return for the impending festivities in the middle of July, congratulations Felicia and Mike. We can’t wait to see you all and catch up on your things.

With a lot of love and a lot of missing,
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

Matthew, Selina, and Owen Brown